Fencing panels may be used for various functions, including fencing a plot of land to keep people, vehicles, and/or animals on or off of the land. As depicted in FIG. 1A, a typical fence 100 may be comprised of multiple individual fencing panels 102 (shown as fencing panels 102a-g). Each fencing panel 102 may include a first support post 104 (labeled as first support posts 104a-g) and a second support post 106 (labeled as a second support post 106a-g), and a plurality of crossmembers 108 (e.g., crossmembers 108a) therebetween. One of the support posts 104, 106 will have one or more hooks 110. As depicted, two hooks 110 are arranged on each of the first support posts 104a-g. Each fencing panel 102a-g further includes one or more receiving loops 112. As depicted, two receiving loops 112 are arranged on the second support post 106 of each fencing panel 102. The hooks 110 of one panel 102 are to be arranged within the receiving loops 112 of another panel, thereby coupling the panels together. An enlarged view of this is illustrated in FIG. 1B. This configuration, however, presents many problems.
For example, due to the rigidity of the crossmembers 108 coupled to the support posts 104, 106, the panel 102a-g is unable to flex with uneven terrain, thus leaving gaps between the panels 102a-c, especially upon slopes, peaks, and troughs of land. As depicted, the hill or peak 114 of land slopes the two panels 102c and 102d in opposite directions, therefore not enabling the hooks 110d to be arranged within the receiving loops 112c. Resulting therefrom, a gap 116 is formed, where animals may be able to escape, or alternatively be caught therein and unable to be freely released. Different animals may react in different manners to being caught, such as a horse pulling back when stuck, but a cow may try to push through the panels 102c and 102d, thereby moving and/or breaking them, along with injuring the animal itself.
Similar issues arise at the trough or low point of land 118. As depicted, the panels 102f and 102g are only partially able to connect via the hook 110g and receiving loop 112f due to being at various angles when conforming to the land. Such an arrangement creates a gap 120 between the two panels 102f and 102g. Again, animals may be able to escape through the gap 120, or alternatively become stuck in the gap 120, possibly causing injury or death to the animal, and damage to the fencing panels 102f and 102g. Current solutions are to arrange additional panels 102 in areas which such gaps 116, 120 occur. However, such a solution is both costly (due to the extra panels 102 required to be purchased), and may prove ineffective over a period of time as the land continues to move and shift. Accordingly, a fencing panel which solves the aforementioned problems remains highly desirable.